United Coconut Planters Bank (UCPB) has introduced its Philippine Index Equity Fund (UPIEF), a new investment product among the bank’s suite of trust investment instruments for investors of varied risk appetites, expertise and investment horizons.
The UPIEF is a passively managed equity fund that replicates the Philippine Stock Exchange Index (PSEi) as a benchmark. It is best suited for investors who have an aggressive risk appetite and a long-term investment horizon. It is also a good entry point for those who are only starting to invest in equities as it is simple, affordable and easy to understand.
The investment product is structured as a wait investment trust fund, making participation and redemption of the investment uncomplicated. With an initial investment and maintaining account balance of only P10,000, an investor can already start growing his funds through additional increments of P5,000.
Proceeds may be redeemed after a 30-day holding period by filling out a form in any UCPB branch. To fully maximize the earning potential of the UPIEF, investors are encouraged to keep investments for the long term.
UPIEF follows the movements of 30 constituent stocks of the PSEi, including big-ticket companies and conglomerates such as Manila Electric Co., Philippine Long Distance Telephone Co. and Jollibee. First-time investors who may be intimidated or intrigued by the stock market would benefit from UPIEF, as it only tracks the movements of Philippine equities.
“It is a good time to invest in the UPIEF, as investors will be able to buy stocks while the market still offers low prices. It will give them more options and greater value before this temporary period corrects itself and the market recovers in due time,” UCPB Trust Banking Group Head and First Vice President Alexandra C. Deveras said.
Aside from the UPIEF, the bank also has UCPB Equity Fund (UEF) and the UCPB High Dividend Fund (UHDF), which are actively managed by expert fund managers. The UEF is invested in common shares, regardless of whether it is dividend paying or not, while the UHDF is invested in dividend-paying common and preferred shares.
The funds are managed by the UCPB Trust Banking Group, which has expertise in fund management and a good record of performance amid the changing market conditions.
Towers Watson, a global professional services company engaged in risk and financial management assessment, ranked UCPB as the best-performing investment manager as of September 2014 in its Survey on Investment Performance in Retirement Funds in the country based on the bank’s performance over the last five years.